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Boxer Love Story: Wes Porter '13 & Sarah (Tomscha) Porter '13, PT '16

The summer before Wes Porter and Sarah Tomscha’s freshman year at Pacific University, they each signed up for a Voyages white water rafting trip with the intention of making friends and getting in one a last adventure before the school year began; neither realized they would be meeting the love of their life.

As an 18-year-old, Wes was caught off guard by Sarah’s outgoing and energetic personality, “I remember she came into the pre-Voyage meeting late and after emphatically greeting everyone like she had known them her whole life, headed straight to the cookie table and grabbed 3 cookies, which mind you, no one else had touched.”

Instantly, they began teasing each other. Making faces across the music stands during the Pacific Philharmonics rehearsals (Wes played the oboe and Sarah played the violin) and slipping notes through their UC mail boxes.

Their friendship continued to grow the next year when they both became resident assistants in Walter Hall. Wes would bring Sarah dinner during office hours and they would occasionally sneak a kiss in the stairwells when residents weren’t looking. All of Sarah’s friends knew they were perfect for each other, but Sarah was nervous to start a relationship while at such a small school. After a year of courting Sarah, they officially began dating at the Molalla Buckaroo under the fireworks. Sarah remembers “I made him promise that he would date me at least until graduation.”

The next two years flew by, and the couple was inseparable. Junior year, Sarah was Wes’ Anatomy and Physiology teacher’s assistant but Wes says “She definitely didn’t give me a break on those lab write ups, but she did help me dissect a worm in one lab and I think she would come to me first if my lab partner (best man: Davis Chang '13) or I had a question.” Senior year, Sarah even went out for Pacific’s cross country team so they could spend more time together.

After graduation, Sarah planned to stay in Oregon and attend Pacific University’s School of Physical Therapy, while Wes planned to attend University of Colorado’s Pharmacy program in Denver. The couple exchanged promise rings to symbolize their commitment. The next 4 years were spent working to complete their professional degrees and working just as hard to make the long distance relationship successful. Much time was spent on the phone, on FaceTime and in airports.

July 1, 2017 (exactly 6 years to the day the couple began dating), Wes and Sarah returned to Oregon to get married. Among the bridal party were Pacific graduates Carolyn Cartwright '13, Kelsey Lockwood '13, Hailey Oliver '14, Allison Clark '13 and Davis Chang '13. Also in attendance were several members of Pacific University's cross country team, the Pacific Philharmonic, classmates and faculty.

After getting married, Sarah and Wes moved to Reno, Nev. where they practice for the same hospital system, Sarah as a Physical Therapist and Wes as a Pharmacist.